THE MOUNTAIN CLIMB
“In mythos, a mountain is sometimes understood as a symbol describing the levels of mastery one must attain before one can ascend to the next level.
The lowest part of the mountain, the foothills, often represents the urge toward consciousness. All that occurs in the foothills is thought of in terms of maturing consciousness.
The middle part of the mountain is often thought of as the steeping part of the process, the part that tests the knowledge learned at lower levels
The higher mountain represents intensified learning; the air is thin there, it takes endurance and determination to stay at the tasks. The peak of the mountain represents confrontation with the ultimate wisdom...
When we are drawn to quests we know little about, this makes life and develops soul. In climbing the unknown mountain we gain true knowledge of the instinctive psyche and the creative acts of which it is capable - that is our goal.”
WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD